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Senior Living: Aging In Place (Lifelong Homes)

Aging in place is here to stay. Aging in place has
moved out of the realm of science fiction (smart homes) and into the
twenty-first century. The term “lifelong homes” isn’t as well known
as universal design but I like that it seems to imply more than just a place to
live.

The Real Estate Section of
the Seattle
Times (Sunday, August 26, 2012) www.seattletimes.com/realestate featured an article by Judith Graham using
the words “lifelong homes”. All of information that I could find on lifelong
homes circled back to the book “Independence
for Life: Homes and Neighborhoods” co-edited by Henry Cisneros, the former
secretary of HUD. The book is a
collection of information by experts in the field of aging and housing. Mr. Cisneros feels that the creation of
lifelong homes and communities should be a priority from the government right
on down to you, and I quite agree. The
scope is wide and includes everything from universally designed homes,
remodeling current home, new zoning laws and accessible issues within the
community. I haven’t read the book yet
because it hasn’t hit my library system, but it is certainly on my to-do list. I am a big believer in independence for life.

Having a “lifelong home”
obviously means that you are planning on staying there forever, right? We all fear the loneliness and isolation
often associated with declining physical capabilities, but that doesn’t keep us
from defending to the death our right to stay in our own home. This isn’t such a farfetched idea. A very small percentage of seniors actually
do end up living in a nursing home. With
a little bit of luck and a lot of good planning, you can make your home a lifelonghome.

For more of the interview
with Mr. Cisneros check your search engine under the words “lifelong homes”. This is something that concerns each and every
one of us. Learn how you can make your home a lifelong
home, and learn how you can help make your community a senior friendly place to live.